Weeder.



A. E. McKAY.

WEEDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.20. 1916.

1 ,210,092. Patented Dec. 26,1916.

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A. E. McKAY.

WEEDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20. I916.

Patented Dec. 26,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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ANDREW E. MCKAY, orwrtnn'a", wAsHINerour.

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Specification of Letters Patent. lPgttented Dec. '26, 1916.

Application filed March 20, 1916. Serial No; 85,521.:

T all 10 7mm it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ANDREW E. MoKAr, a citizen of the United States, residing at "Wilbur, in the county of Lincoln and State of l/Vashington, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Weeders, of which the following is a specification:

My invention-irelates'to improvements in weeders of that class which is employed in the operation of uprooting and destroying weeds growing in cultivated fields, andthe object of my invention is to provide a weeder which shall be eiiicient in its operation and simple in its plan of construction, and which shall be adapted to be drawn over the surface of the field to be weeded.

A further object ofmy invention is to provide such a weederwhich shall have a seat upon which the operatormay ride, and which shall embody a plurality of reciprocally movable series of earth-engaging "blades associated with mechanism that is adapted to be controlled by said operator whereby all of saidblades may be adjust-' ablyraised and lowered to project them into the earth for diiferent distances'at different times or wholly to disengage them from said earthas may be required. I accomplish these objects by devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 isia planview of a weede'rembodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a view of the same in side elevation with the nearer wheel removed; Fig. 3 is a view of parts of the same in vertical section on broken line w,mofFig.2.

Referring to the drawings, throughout which like reference numerals designate like parts, an iron frame is made of channel iron comprising oppositely disposed side rails' l and 5 which extend for a greater portion of their-length in p'arallellines and whose rearward end portions areloent directly clownwardto form oppositely disposed vertical side rails 6 and 7 respectively,while their forward end portions extend forwardly from their parallel portions in converging lines to a block 8 to whi ch they'are secured by bolts (as bolts 9show'n in Fig. 2) which block8 is provided with an integral downwardly extended portion 60 whose lower end rests upon a fifth-wheel 10 which is pro vided with a king-bolt 11 that extends upwardly through said block 8 thus to make a swiveled connection between said block 8 and said fifth-wheel 10, which fifth-wheel 10 is secured to the central p'o'rtion'of an axle 12 which is provided with truck wheels 13and14.

Disposed to extend between the side rails 4 and '5 are cross-braces l5oand 16, as shown more clearly in Fig. 1, and mountedupon the cross-brace 16 at the rearward end of the structure is a-seat 17 that maybe occu pied by an operator. I

Secured to the underside of each of the side rails and 5, at opposite points adjacent to ther'forward side of the cross-brace 16, is an axle'bearing, as axle bearings 18 and 19 respectively, within which is rotaridges 23 serve in a well known manner to engage with the surface of the ground to insure a rotation of said wheels 21 and 22 thus to rotate the axle 20 as the structure is drawn over said surface of the ground.

Swingingly mounted on the axle 20 are suspension links 2tand 25, the link 24 being disposed adjacent to the outer side ofthe bearing 18 where it is confined with respect to si'dewise movements by a collar 26, while link 25 is disposed adjacent to the outer side I of the bearing 19 where it is confined with respect to sidewise movements by the hub of a gearwheel 27 which is mounted freely on said axle 20 adjacent to the outer side of said link 25'. a 1 a In the lower end portion of each of the links 24:: and 25 is formed a bearing within which'is rotatably disposed one of, the opposite end portions 28'and 29, respectively, of a quadruple crank-shaft which is provided with cranksBO, S1, 32 and 33, as shown more clearly in Fig. r, i

On the outwardly projecting end portion 29 adjacent to the outer side of the link 25 is secured a pinion 34: whose teeth engage a with the teeth of the gearwheel 27', whereby said'crank-shaft withit s cranks '30, 31, 32 and 38 will be rotated in responseto a rotation of said gearwheel '27. Articulated with sz-iidcrank-shaft, at points thereon adjacent tothe inner side of the link 24 and the inner side of the link 25 respectively, are the rear end portions of the opposite, side rails,re spectively, of a rectangular frame 35 whose forward end portions, in a similar manner, are articulated to another quadru ple crank-shaft 36 which is rotatably mounted in bearings formed in the lower end portions of suspension links 37 and 38 whose upper end portions are attached to a shaft 39 which is rotatably mounted in brackets (as bracket 40 shown in Fig. 2) secured to the under side of the forward end of the parallel portions of the side rails 4 and 5, whereby said rectangular frame 35 is suspended to be swingingly movable, always in a horizontal plane, from its position shown by full lines to its position shown by broken lines in Fig. 2.

The four cranks of the forward crankshaft 36 correspond in shapes and positions to the cranks 30, 31, 32 and 33 of the rearward crank-shaft and articulated with each of the cranks 30, 31, 32 and 33 is the rearward end portion of a connecting rod comprising two parallel bars (as connecting rods 41, 42, 43 and 44 shown more clearly in Fig. 1) whose forward end portion is articulated to the opposite corresponding one of the cranks of the crank-shaft 36, whereby a revolution of the cranks 30, 31, 32 and 33 will communicate a corresponding rotary motion to the crank-shaft 36 in a well known manner.

Fastened at equi-distant points on each of the connecting bars 41, 42, 43 and 44, to extend downwardly therefrom, are four blades, as blades 45, 46, 47 and 48 respectively, of a form to adapt them to uproot or destroy weeds disposed in their several paths.

Freely mounted on the axle 20 is a sleeve 49 on one end portion of which is an integral arm 50 whose lower end portion is articulated with the rearward crank-shaft at a point between cranks 32 and 33, while to the other end portion of said sleeve 49 is secured a hand-lever 51 which extends upwardly to adapt it to be manipulated by the occupant of the seat 17. The hand-lever 51 is provided with a well known form of detent 52 that is adapted to engage with a desired one of a plurality of notches formed in the periphery of aquadrant 53 which is secured to the cross-brace 16 at a point to adapt it to engage with said detent 52 whereby said hand-lever 51 may be maintained at a desired one of different angular positions. Thus, it is manifest that when said hand-lever 51 is moved forward to its position shown in Fig. 2 then the frame 35 will be in its lowest position to project the blades 45, 46, 47 and 48 into the earth for a maximum distance, and when said handlever 51 is drawn rearwardly to its farthest extent then said frame 35 will be raised to its position shown by broken lines in Fig. 2 whereby said blades will be disengaged from the earth, and by disposing said handlever 51 with its detent engaged with the proper one of the notches of the quadrant 53 said frame 35 may be disposed at a required elevation to cause said blades to operate in the earth at a desired depth. v

In order to communicate rotary motion from the axle 20 to the gearwheel 27 at desired times as the weeder is drawn over a field, thereby to rotate the crank-shafts and operate the blades 45, 46, 47 and 48, I have provided a clutch member 54 of well known form'which is slidably mounted and keyed on the axle 20 so that it may be movable in a lengthwise direction thereon but not in a circumferential direction with respect thereto, whereby it may be caused to engage and disengage, as may be required, with teeth provided on the outer sideof the .hub of the gearwheel 27.

The hub of the clutch member 54 is provided with a groove within which is freely disposed a ring 55 made of two separable parts to which ring 55 is articulated one end of an arm 56 whose other end is mounted securely on the lower end of a vertical shaft 57 which is rotatively movable in a bearing'formed ina bracket 58, the upper end portion of said shaft 57 being provided with a hand-lever 59 that extends upwardly and rearwardly to adapt it to be accessible to the right hand'of the occupant of'the seat 17.

In an obvious manner, a manipulation of the hand-lever 59 may operate the clutch member 54 to control the communication of rotary motion from the axle 20 to the pinion 29 and the crankshaftupon which said pinion 29 is mounted.

In the operation of a weeder embodying that form of my invention which I have illustrated and described, as the weeder is drawn over the fieldto be weeded the hand lever 51 isdisposed at a required angle to cause the blades 45, 46, 47 and 48 to project into the earth for a desired distance to catch the roots of weeds, rotary motion having been communicated to the crankshafts by a manipulation of the hand lever 59, whereupon the connecting rods 41, 42, 43 and 44 will be moved forward and backward by the action of their respective cranks in such manner that during their forward movements they will dig into the earth and while beneath the surface of the earth such forward movement will be accelerated by the forward movement of the whole weeder, and near the termination of such forward movement said blades will be raised out of the earth and then move freely backward to their rearwardmost point when they will again be moved downwardly into the earth to repeat their forward movement in time to prevent skipping any portion of the respective paths of said blades.

I have shown crank-shafts having four cranks and four connecting rods having each four blades but such numbers may be Of course, my weeder may be drawn by horses, traction engines, or cables actuated by any form of motor, and changes may be made in the forms, dimensions and arrangement of parts thereofwithout departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a weeder of the class described, the combination with a frame, of a truck whose axle is disposed to support the forward end of said frame; a second truck whose axle is rotatably associated with the rearward portion of said frame and-whose wheels are rigidly secured to its said axle; two suspension links freely suspended by the axle of said second truck and disposed normally to extend downwardly each from a point thereon adjacent to a different one of the opposite side rails of said frame; a cranksl1aft rotatably mounted in the lower end portions of said links, said crank-shaft being provided with a plurality of off-set cranks; a pinion securely mounted on one end of said crank-shaft; a gearwheel freely mounted on the axle of said second truck and dis posed to engage with said pinion, said geara wheel being provided with a hub having sidewise projecting teeth; a lever-actuated clutch member mounted on said axle of said truck and adapted operatively to engage and disengage the teeth of the hub of said gearwheel; mechanism, including a hand lever, associated with said axle of said second truck and with said crank-shaft whereby said crank-shaft may be swingingly moved: to and be secured in a desired angular position; two additional suspension links disposed with their upper end portions pivotally connected each with a forward portion of a different one of the opposite side rails of said frame; a second crankshaft having off-set cranks corresponding in shape and numbers to the off-set cranks of said first named crank-shaft, and being rotatablymounted in thelower end portions of said additional suspension links; a rectangularconnecting framehaving its rearjward end portion articulated with said first named crank-sliaft, and its forward end portion articulated with said second named a crank shaft; blade supporting bars disposed each with oneof its end portions are ticulated to a different one of the off-set cranks of said first named crank-shaft, and with its other end portion articulated with the corresponding one of the off-set cranks of said second named crank-shafts; and

blades attached to saidblade-supporting bars to extend downwardly therefrom.

2. A weeder of the class described, which embodies a frame mounted on a forward truck and a rearward truck, the axle of said rearward truck beingrotatable with'respect to said frame and the wheels of said rear ward a truck being rigidly attached to its axle; a pair of suspension bars swingingly attached to the axle of sald rearward truck p toextend downwardly therefrom a second pair of suspension bars swingingly attached to a forward portion of the side rails of said frame to extend downwardly therefrom; a separate crank-shaft providedwith I a plurality of off set cranks rotatably mounted in the lower portions of each of said pairs of suspension bars; separate blade-carrying connecting bars having their opposite ends articulated with respectively corresponding ones of the off-set cranks of said crank-shafts; blades rigidly attached to said blade-carrying connecting bars to extenddownwardly therefrom; and controllable means for communicating rotary mo- Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the (Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

